Michael,

On hearing that he is an 8th cousin of Dick Cheney, Barack Obama said, tongue in cheek, “Every family has a black sheep.”

Lynne Cheney tells about the relationship.

The details of the ancestry were written up in the Bowie Blade News:

An interesting side note–the place where Obama’s and Cheney’s common ancestor, Mareen Duvall, lived was the Marietta Mansion near Bowie, MD. Our daughter Katie worked there for many years as a docent, but I don’t think anyone at the Mansion, including her, knew about this curious relationship until now.

Obama himself knew that some of his white ancestors owned slaves, but not the exact “tortured, tangled” history.

–rakkity

Michael,

On hearing that he is an 8th cousin of Dick Cheney, Barack Obama said, tongue in cheek, “Every family has a black sheep.”

Lynne Cheney tells about the relationship.

The details of the ancestry were written up in the Bowie Blade News:

An interesting side note–the place where Obama’s and Cheney’s common ancestor, Mareen Duvall, lived was the Marietta Mansion near Bowie, MD. Our daughter Katie worked there for many years as a docent, but I don’t think anyone at the Mansion, including her, knew about this curious relationship until now.

Obama himself knew that some of his white ancestors owned slaves, but not the exact “tortured, tangled” history.

–rakkity

Michael,

While we’re looking at pictures snapped from cars, I have this one I shot this morning on my way to Sidney’s Espressso.  I have two questions:

1. Who is this guy? B. Why is he here in Boulder? III. How did he evade the lasers on our border?

–rakkity

PS: Messner’s book is on its way east to your mailbox.

Boulder has another unexpected claim to fame: the best baristas outside of Fiorenze. I had been meaning to wait until I got a larger sample of the barista’s art, but here I come with photos of 12 picturesque lattes and one non-picturesque (guess which before you look).

The highest-rated and most consistent espresso spot is Joe’s.  I have yet, after dozens of visits, to get an unbeautiful latte made by Joe.  It is not for nothing that Joe has gotten the yearly Boulder award for best espresso.  (He even sponsors barista workshops!) But Laughing Goat and Ozo aren’t bad. Bliss is inconsistent.  Sometimes they have beautiful lattes, but I haven’t been there with my camera at the right time.

Soon I’ll add another dozen lattes.  This is a fun project!

–rakkity